1. Technical Field
Apparatuses and methods consistent with exemplary embodiments relate to a profile configuration in a subscriber authenticating module, and more particularly, to a profile configuring method of a subscriber authenticating module embedded and installed in a terminal device, and an apparatus using the same.
2. Description of Related Art
A universal integrated circuit card (UICC) is a smart card that may be inserted into a terminal and used as a module for authenticating network access. A UICC may include a Network Access Application (NAA) for accessing several networks of an operator, such as a Universal Subscriber Identity Module (USIM) for accessing a WCDMA/LTE network and a Subscriber Identity Module (SIM) for accessing a GSM network.
For a terminal requiring miniaturization and durability, such as a Machine to Machine (M2M) terminal, an embedded SIM (hereinafter referred to as eSIM or eUICC) that is integrally equipped when the terminal is produced has been proposed instead of the existing removable UICC.
The eUICC provides a network access authentication function like the existing removable UICC. However, network accesses of several operators should be able to be processed using one eUICC because of a difference in physical structure. Furthermore, there are many issues such as eUICC opening/distribution/subscriber information security and thus solutions for the issues need to be provided. In order to solve this, international standardization organizations such as Groupe Speciale Mobile Association (GSMA) and European Telecommunications Standards Institute (ETSI) have developed standardization activities on a necessary element including a top structure together with related companies such as a network operator, a manufacturer, and a SIM vendor.
In ETSI, a working group (WG) for establishing an eUICC standard is active, and currently requirements are being established to define a module that is called a ‘profile’ to personalize an application for a network access authentication function of several operators, such that the profile may be remotely installed to the eUICC and managed. In addition, a management policy and an application solution of the profile are being discussed, but detailed solutions have not yet been defined.
Since details associated with profile management of the eUICC are not defined, a eUICC card manufacturer, a terminal manufacturer, and an eco-system operator have many difficulties in developing and commercializing the eUICC.